TAMPA, Fla. — As we head into the second weekend of the Florida State Fair, law enforcement officials say they’re focusing heavily on safety.
Sheriff Chad Chronister says ejections from the fair have gone down steadily over the past few years. The sheriff says they’ve gone from more than 130 ejections in one day two years ago, to only 6 ejections so far this year.
Chronister spoke at the fairgrounds Friday, saying they’re using everything from metal detectors to policy changes to make things safer.
“Children now can’t get in without an adult,” he said. “An adult meaning, a 21-year-old adult or guardian, not an 18-year-old friend who says ‘Hey, I’ll be your guardian.’”
Many of these changes have come with increased calls for safety following the death of 14-year-old Andrew Joseph III back in 2014.
That night, teens were kicked out of the fair, in mass, after a group rushed the midway, starting fights.
Joseph was hit and killed by a car outside of the fairgrounds while trying to figure out how to get to safety after the chaos by attempting to cross I-4.
“The culture of the fair has changed,” Chronister said on Friday.
This year, the sheriff is bringing community reinforcements to maintain a peaceful and fun environment. They’re called the Community Action Team.
The sheriff says, 60 community leaders volunteered to help walk around the fairgrounds, having one-on-one interactions that can help keep kids who may want to go down the wrong path, from making those decisions.
Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office say they had more than 270 law enforcement officials working the fairgrounds Friday in all different areas—including the parking lots.